Australian cricketing great Brett Lee has said any suggestion that he does not support human rights is "totally wrong".
Lee and fellow former cricketer, Glenn McGrath came under fire this week after Immigration Minister Scott Morrison gave cricket bats they signed to two Indian ministers as part of a deal the government made concerning 157 asylum seekers.
Lee is in India working with his non-profit group Mewsic, a program that fosters education and development for underprivileged Indian children through music.
After learning of the Twitter storm around the bats on Tuesday, Lee tweeted: "Just for the record, I sign thousands of things every year. 99.9% of them are used for charitable purposes. I am a strong supporter of human rights and for me to be positioned as otherwise because I signed a cricket bat is totally wrong."
Just for the record, I sign thousands of things every year. 99.9% of them are used for charitable purposes. I am a strong supporter... — Brett Lee (@BrettLee_58) July 29, 2014
Speaking to Fairfax Media, Lee's manager Neil Maxwell said the former Australian cricketer was shocked to learn of the response.
"From Brett's perspective, he gets thousands of requests to sign things and he signs everything asked of him. That doesn't make him a political supporter of anything."
He said Lee deliberately stayed out of politics, adding that any suggestion he or McGrath knew where the bats were headed was "not correct".
Fans of both Lee and McGrath have been vocal in their support on Twitter.
@BrettLee_58 Brett...you're a great Aussie. I despise the 'keyboard heroes' who have been having a rant today. Best wishes mate. Paul — Paul Bailey (@ManlyAccountant) July 29, 2014
I've known @glennmcgrath11 for 21yrs & 4 anyone to say anything negative abt him is a joke. Gives his time 2 help families in need every day — Tracy Bevan (@tracybevan12) July 29, 2014
A spokeswoman for the Immigration Minister said in a statement that both McGrath and Lee were "great Australians of impeccable standing in our community and deserve all of our respect”.
She said the signed bats were provided to be used as official gifts from the Australian government and that the cricketers' assistance in providing the bats "does not represent any statement of political support or endorsement of government policy".
“The minister deeply regrets that both Mr Lee, Mr McGrath and their families have been subjected to these cowardly attacks and apologises that their assistance provided in good faith has exposed them to such unwarranted and disrespectful treatment," she said.
McGrath's management has been contacted for comment.